The recent wave of resignations from the Seyi Makinde-led government and the political realignments surrounding the 2027 general election have generated excitement within opposition circles, with some politicians interpreting the developments as signs of an impending political setback for the ruling APM in Atisbo local government area of Oke-ogun.
Reacting to the development, the Special Adviser to Governor Seyi Makinde on Legislative Matters, Hon. Adejumobi Samuel popularly known as Agbarapo, told westernmirror.com.ng in a media chat that opposition was merely sensationalizing resignations of individuals, not necessarily politicians, invited to contribute to governance in order to appear popular in the eyes of the people.
He said it was impossible for the party to be bothered about individuals with low or no political strength at their grassroots who have resigned from government stressing that freedom of entry and exit remain fundamental to the principles of democratic governance.
“My biggest concern as a politician of over three decades at this point is that those who destroyed what Seyi has rebuilt are regrouping to use every available means to return Oyo state to the dark political era but I’m very happy because the electorate have now become wiser and self aware in making informed decisions on electoral matters.
Agbarapo, who was also a former Majority Leader of the state House of Assembly, maintained that the resignation of Ayobami Ojo from government as Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, would not in any way affect the bulk vote of Atisbo local government for Makinde, Adekanmbi and all APM candidates in the 2027 elections.
The governor’s aide said APM in Atisbo LG consists of 10 key stakeholders who formed the pillars upon which the party is structured, insisting that Ojo’s departure has no political effect on the strength of APM in the area and would not affect its electoral success.
He argued that those celebrating the departure of political figures from Makinde’s government are feigning ignorance or have failed to learn from the political history of Oyo State and the recent outcome of the Osun governorship election.
Agbarapo said politicians leaving the APM in anticipation of political appointments, financial benefits and what he described as Abuja dollars were making a familiar political mistake, insisting that their departure would be a big loss to them in due time rather than the party.
He maintained that the excitement surrounding the resignations was reminiscent of previous political developments in Oyo State, particularly the mass departure of prominent politicians from the administration of former Governor Abiola Ajimobi ahead of the 2015 governorship election.
According to him, Oyo State has witnessed similar political storms in the past, but the eventual outcome has not always reflected the expectations of those who interpreted the departure of politicians as evidence of an incumbent administration’s imminent defeat.
Agbarapo recalled that the administration of the late Senator Abiola Ajimobi experienced similar waves of political departures in the state’s history during the build-up to the 2015 governorship election.
Ajimobi, who governed Oyo State between 2011 and 2019, faced considerable political opposition in the latter part of his first term as several prominent members of his administration began to move away from his government and the then ruling party.
Among the notable figures who left or became politically estranged from the Late Ajimobi’s administration were the current APC governorship candidate, Senator Sarafadeen Alli, Barrister Lowo Obisesan, and a host of other politicians in the state.
“Their movement to opposition political platforms, particularly the Labour Party and Accord Party, generated heated political debate at the time.
“Other political developments further complicated Ajimobi’s re-election calculations. Two senators elected on the platform of the then ruling party, Senator Ayoade Adeseun, representing Oyo Central, and Senator Olufemi Lanlehin, representing Oyo South, also left the party, joining the PDP and Accord Party respectively.
“The defections were particularly significant because the affected politicians were not political newcomers.
“Indeed, reports in the media towards the end of 2014 indicated that several serving and former members of Ajimobi’s cabinet were preparing to join forces with the then opposition governorship candidate, who had moved to the Labour Party after the PDP governorship primary.
“The political atmosphere became so charged that the opposition appeared convinced that the incumbent governor’s political fortunes had been irreversibly damaged.
“The departure of prominent politicians, former commissioners, party leaders and federal lawmakers provided the opposition with what appeared to be a formidable political advantage.
But the electorate eventually produced a different outcome.
“In the April 2015 governorship election, Ajimobi emerged victorious against all the political gang up by entitled political elements within the political establishment.
“The outcome of that election demonstrated that the departure of prominent politicians, even when accompanied by considerable political noise, does not automatically translate into the defeat of an incumbent, and politicians who get excited by transactional political movement have no choice than embrace their fate when electoral outcome goes against their expectations.
Agbarapo also drew attention to the August 15, 2026 Osun governorship election, which he described as another important lesson for politicians who believe that the support of political figures is sufficient to sway the electorate and determine electoral outcomes.
In his words: “Ahead of the election, the APC deployed an extensive national political machinery to support its governorship candidate, Bola Oyebamiji.
“The party assembled serving governors, ministers, senators, members of the House of Representatives, national party officials and other prominent political figures for its campaign.
“Among the high-profile figures involved in the mobilisation were Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda, former Osun Governor and Minister of Marine and Blue Economy Adegboyega Oyetola, and several APC governors, including Hope Uzodimma, Dapo Abiodun, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Biodun Oyebanji and AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.
“The APC’s mobilisation was further reinforced by the defection of prominent politicians and lawmakers from the political camp of the incumbent governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, to the APC ahead of the election.
Among them were Senator Francis Fadahunsi, Senator Olubiyi Fadeyi, Wole Oke, Omirin Olusanya and Taofeek Ajilesoro,” Olanrewaju added.
He revealed that the Osun political realignments generated considerable expectations within the APC camp that the party’s national influence, combined with the movement of influential politicians, would improve its chances of reclaiming Osun State.
However, the electorate delivered a different verdict at the poll having enjoyed what they believe to be good governance over time under the leadership of the governor.
“Governor Adeleke, who had left the PDP and contested on the platform of the Accord Party, defeated Oyebamiji to secure another four-year mandate.
“Adeleke polled 511,067 votes against Oyebamiji’s 444,815, winning by 66,252 votes. He also won in 19 of the state’s 30 local government areas, while the APC candidate won in 11.
“The result was particularly noteworthy because it came despite the extensive involvement of the APC’s national leadership and the defection of several prominent politicians from Adeleke’s camp.
“What that demonstrated again, is that the movement of political officeholders between parties and the presence of powerful national figures at campaign rallies do not necessarily determine how voters who continue to enjoy dividends of democracy under a leader will cast their ballots,” the governor’s spokesman explained.
Agbarapo said the Osun experience has clearly reinforced the fact that politicians who are abandoning political platforms in anticipation of immediate benefits from Abuja may be misreading the realities of electoral politics at the detriment of their own political future.
“For this reason, it is becoming clearer to the people that 2027 in Oyo state is a contest between vested political interests who see Oyo as an enterprise to draw personal wealth from, and the people have become wiser to reaffirm their rejection at the poll.
“For now, the lesson from Oyo’s political history and the recent Osun election is very clear, even to a rookie politician that political resignations from government and defections from party may generate headlines, endorsements may even attract attention, and the departure of politicians may create excitement in the camp of the opposition, but none of these has proven to be a substitute for votes.